Lfl 267 
.H5 
Copy 1 



o 



< 
o 

Q 

LU 

LL 

o 

< 

ixl 

cc 
r» 

£0 




o 
o 

I 

O 

(S) 

X 
(5 

I 

0. 

I 
(/) 

z 

<: 

o 
h 

cr 

Hi 
CL 

UJ 

*J 

_! 

< 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

BUREAU OF EDUCATION 



BULLETIN, 1917, No. 35 



THE TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY 

HIGH SCHOOL MOVEMENT 

IN ILLINOIS 



By HORACE A. HOLLISTER 

PROFFSSOR OF EDUCATION AND HIGH SCHOOL VISITOR 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

\9\7 f 



, /is- 



ADDITIONAL COPIES 

OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM 

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

AT 

15 CENTS PER COPY 

D. of D« 

FEB *» l^'O 



CONTENTS. 



* 



Page. 

Letter of transmittal 5 

I. History of the movement 7 

The new high-school law of 1917 19 

List of township and community high schools of Illinois, by 

counties 26 

II. Materia! advantages 31 

III. Material illustrative of some educational advantages of community 

high schools 36 

Extracts from letters relating to short courses in agriculture and 

domestic science 36 

Rutland Township High School, program of recently organized 

short courses 39 

Jersey Township High School calendar 41 

Constitution and by-laws of the South Bureau County Farmers' 

Institute Association 43 

IV. A more detailed account of particular schools 45 

V. The consolidated district high school 46 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Page. 
Plate 1. Model of La Salle-Peru Township High School Frontispiece. 

2. A, Taylorville Township High School ; B, Fairbury Township 

High School 8 

3. A, La Grange Township High School ; B, La Grange Township 

High School band 9 

4. A, East Lynn Township High School; B, Georgetown Township 

High School 16 

5. A, New gymnasium building, Deerfield (Highland Park) Town- 

ship High School ; B, Princeton Township High School, Bureau 
County 17 

6. A, Scene from junior play, La Salle-Peru Township High School ; 

B, Class in cement and concrete, La Salle-Peru Township High 
School , 24 

7. A, Polish Boy Scouts, La Salle-Peru Township High School ; B, 

Girls' doll class, La Salle-Peru Township High School 25 

8. First aid to the injured, La Salle-Peru Township High School 32 

9. A, Infant welfare station, La Salle-Peru Township High School ; 

B, Polish turners, La Salle-Peru Township High School 33 

10. A, Harrisburg Township High School ; B, Entrance, Harrisburg 

Township High School 32 

11. Domestic science kitchen, Harrisburg Township High School 33 

12. Mount Pulaski Township High School 38 

13. J., Mount Pulaski High School, agriculture, short course ; B, Mount 

Pulaski High School, agriculture, regular work 39 

14. A, Stockland Township High School, sewing class work ; B, Wood 

shops, manual training, Harrisburg Township High School 42 

3 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Education, 
Washington, December 29, 1916. 
Sir : The most remarkable feature in the progress of education in 
the United States within the past decade and a half has J)een the un- 
precedented increase of interest in secondary education, the multi- 
plication of high schools and the large increase in the number of 
high -school students. Until about the beginning of this century in- 
terest in the public high school was confined almost wholly to cities 
and larger towns. Since that time it has extended more and more 
to the smaller towns, villages, and open country, until there is now 
free and easy access to good public high schools for a large portion 
of the rural population, and the tendency is toward universal high- 
school education for children, both urban and rural. This is a tend- 
ency which should be strengthened and encouraged in every possible 
way. Probably in no State has there been greater progress in the 
establishment of high schools than in the State of Illinois. I there- 
fore recommend for publication as a bulletin of the Bureau of Educa- 
tion the account transmitted herewith of the township and com- 
munity high-school movement in Illinois. This account has been 
prepared by Horace A. Hollister, professor of education and high- 
school visitor, University of Illinois. 
Respectfully submitted. 

P. P. Claxton, 

Commissioner. 
The Secretary of the Interior. 

5 



THE TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL 
MOVEMENT IN ILLINOIS. 



I. HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 

In the twenty-third annual catalogue of the Princeton (111.) High 
School, published in 1890, occurs the following statement under the 
heading " Historical Sketch " : 

In the autumn of 1865 the conviction had become quite general that the schools 
of Princeton were not what they should be, and several meetings of interested 
parties were had, leading to the appointment of a committee to investigate and 
report what measures should be taken to improve their efficiency. 

The committee decided that a high school was the required instrumentality, 
and it was thought that under the then existing common-school law the town- 
ship trustees could form the township into one district for school purposes. 
The trustees made such an order, and an election was appointed for the 23d of 
April, 1866, at which time three directors were chosen and the present site de- 
termined upon by the votes then cast. 

On the 30th of April the directors organized and on the 28th of May adopted 
plans for building. On the 11th of June the contract for building was made, at 
a cost of $45,249, the house to be completed and ready for use June 1, 1867. 

The organization of a high-school district under the common-school law was 
a novelty, and such doubts were expressed as to its legality that a committee 
was appointed to procure suitable legislative enactment to remove the un- 
certainty. A bill was prepared and introduced into the general assembly in 
January, 1867, which became a law and is the charter under which the school 
has since been operated. 

Thus originated the first township high school in the State. The attention 
drawn to this school by its novelty and by its immediate and marked success 
led in due time to the enactment of a general law under which eight others have 
since been organized, two of which are in La Salle County, five in the vicinity of 
Chicago, and one in Christian County. * * * 

For years the Princeton High School has exerted a marked and beneficent 
influence not only in the township in which it is located but in the county and 
adjacent region. Its greatest work has been in its wide effect upon the masses 
which have not passed through its courses, and many of whom have had no 
contact with it save through the medium of improved public opinion. Standing 
upon its record of honorable usefulness, the Princeton High School looks con- 
fidently to the future. The law under which the school has been administered 
is as follows: 

7 



8 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

AN ACT To Incokporate the Peinceton High-School District. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in 
the general assembly, That all the territory now included within the boundaries 
of the township of Princeton, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois, 
together with such territory as may be hereafter added thereto, be, and is 
nereby, established a common high-school district, to be known as the " Prince- 
ton High-School District." 

Sec. 2. The government, care, and superintendence of the public high schools 
within said district, and of the funds and estate, both real and personal, be- 
longing to, and which may be hereafter acquired by or conveyed to said dis- 
trict, shall be vested in a board of education of said high-school district. 

Sec 3. The following-named persons, to wit, John H. Bryant, Flavel Bascom, 
Jacob Critzman, Mathew Trimble, and George O. Ide, shall compose the first 
board of education of said high-school district until their successors are duly 
elected and qualified as hereinafter provided. It shall be the duty of said per- 
sons, or a majority of them, to assemble within 60 days after the passage of 
this act at the courthouse in said Bureau County and organize as such board 
of education by electing one of their number president and one as clerk of said 
board. They shall appoint a treasurer of said high-school district, and shall 
have all the powers, and be governed in all other respects by the provisions of 
this act, so far as the same may be applicable. The said persons, or a ma- 
jority of them, shall have power to fill vacancies in their number occasioned by 
declination, disqualification, resignation, death, or removal from said high- 
school district. 

Sec 4. The persons composing said board of education provided for in the 
third section of this act shall hold their office as follows : Two of them until the 
first Tuesday of June, 1868, two until the first Tuesday of June, 1869, and the 
fifth until the first Tuesday of June, 1870. The respective terms of office of 
the members of said board appointed and provided for as aforesaid shall be 
determined by them at their first meeting by casting lots. 

Sec 5. On the first Tuesday of June, 1868, and on the first Tuesday of June 
annually thereafter an election shall be held to elect successor to those members 
whose terms of office are then expiring and to fill all vacancies, if any, occurring 
in said board during the preceding year. The persons elected at such annual 
elections shall hold their offices for three years, or until the expiration of the 
unfinished terms which they have been elected to fill, as the case may be. 

Sec 6. The said board of education, or the remaining members thereof, shall 
have power to fill, until the ensuing annual election in said high-school district, 
all vacancies in said board occasioned by death, resignation, disqualification, 
failure to elect, or removal from said district, and to fill by appointment vacan- 
cies among the officers of said board occasioned by any of the causes afore- 
said. The members of said board and the treasurer appointed by them shall, 
previous to entering upon their official duties, take an oath, in addition to those 
prescribed by the constitution of this State, faithfully and impartially to dis- 
charge the duties of their respective offices to the best of their abilities. 

Sec 7. Notice of such annual elections shall be given by the clerk of said 
board by posting written or printed notices of the time, places, and objects of 
such elections in three of the most public places in said district at least 10 days 
before such elections are held, and also by publishing a similar notice in some 
newspaper published in said district by one insertion at least one week pre- 
vious to the day of election. Said elections shall be held at the usual place 
for holding general elections in said township, and shall be by ballot. The 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 2. 




A. TAYLORVILLE TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. FAIRBURY TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 3. 




A. LA GRANGE TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. LA GRANGE TOWNSHIP HIGH-SCHOOL BAND. 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 9 

president of said board and two members thereof, to be selected by said board, 
shall be'judges, and the clerk of said board clerk of such elections ; but if 
any of said officers shall fail to attend or refuse to act the electors assembled 
shall viva voce choose three judges and a clerk of the election. A poll book 
shall be kept by the clerk, registering the names of the voters, and the persons 
receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. In case of a 
tie in any election the judges of election shall decide the same by casting 
lots on the day of election. Elections shall be opened at the hour of 10 o'clock 
a. m. and closed at the hour of 5 o'clock p. m. The judges and clerk shall 
certify to the board of education the names of the persons so elected members of 
said board, the term for which they were elected, and the number of votes 
each person voted for received, and shall return their certificate and said poll 
book to the said board within 10 days after such election. 

Sec. 8. Said board of education is hereby created a body corporate and politic, 
by the name of the " Board of Education of the Princeton High School Dis- 
trict," and by that name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer 
and be answered unto, in all courts and places, contract and be contracted 
with, and have perpetual succession and a common seal, and the same may 
alter or change at pleasure. Said board may exercise, in the furtherance of 
the objects contemplated by this act, all the powers conferred on school trustees 
of townships or boards of directors of school districts by any law now in force 
or that may be hereafter enacted. Said board shall have power to receive and 
hold in any said corporate name all real and personal property that may be 
conveyed, given, or devised to it for said district, and in the said corporate 
name to dispose of and convey the same for the benefit of said district. All 
conveyances of real estate made by said board shall be executed and acknowl- 
edged by the president of said board and attested by the corporate seal and 
by the signature of the clerk: Provided, That all such conveyances shall be 
authorized by a resolution of said board : And provided further, That all sales 
and conveyances of schoolhouses, buildings, and grounds appurtenant thereto 
shall be first determined by a majority of the votes cast by the electors of said 
district upon the submission by said board of the question of such sale at an 
annual election, due notice having been first given as provided in section 7 of 
this act. 

Sec. 9. Said board of education shall have the following additional powers : 

First. It shall have power to establish, maintain, and regulate a high school, 
with the necessary departments, within said district. 

Second. To prescribe by regulations the qualifications for admission into said 
high school and its respective departments of persons residing in said district, 
free of charge for tuition therein, and also to provide for the admission into 
the same of persons residing without said district, upon such terms and pay- 
ment for tuition as said board shall regulate. 

Third. To have the custody and control of all high-school property in said 
district. 

Fourth. To erect, hire, or purchase buildings suitable for the purposes of 
such high school and its necessary departments. 

Fifth. To buy or lease sites for such high school and its departments, with 
its necessary grounds. 

Sixth. To purchase, lease, control, adorn, and improve playgrounds or parks 
adjacent to such high school or its necessary departments. 

Seventh. To furnish said high school and its departments with necessary fix- 
tures, furniture, books, apparatus, and libraries, and to provide for the proper 
care, protection, and maintenance of the same. 
745°— 17— Bull. 35 2 



10 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Eighth. To employ teachers, determine their duties, and fix the compensa- 
tion to be allowed them from time to time ; and at any regular or special meet- 
ing, all the members of said board being present at such special meeting, to 
dismiss such teachers or any of them for gross immorality, incompetency, or 
other adequate cause. 

Ninth. To direct what studies and branches of learning shall be taught and 
what textbooks shall be used in said high school and its several departments. 

Tenth. To establish departments or different grades in said high school and 
to make all necessary rules and regulations for the admission and advance- 
ment of applicants and pupils and for the government of said high school and 
its departments; to suspend or expel pupils guilty of refractory, disobedient, 
or immoral conduct, or possessed of any infectious or contagious disease. 

Eleventh. To appoint agents and servants to execute any matter conducive 
to the interests of said high-school district consistent with this act, and for 
their services to pay them such reasonable compensation as said board shall 
fix. 

Twelfth. For the purpose of building a high school and other school buildings 
and additions thereto for the use of said high-school district and of repairing 
and improving the same and purchasing real estate for such buildings, libraries, 
apparatus, and other objects contemplated by this act, or of paying indebtedness 
contracted therefor, it shall be lawful for said board to borrow money at a 
rate of interest not exceeding 10 per cent per annum and to issue bonds there- 
for in sums of not less than $100, which bonds shall be signed by the president 
and attested by the clerk and seal of said board. 

Sec. 10. Said board of education shall have full power, and it shall be its duty, 
to determine the amount of money needed to maintain said high school and 
its departments, and to pay all expenses of said district, of every description, 
for each school year, and to determine the amount of money needed at any 
time for the purposes of purchasing, leasing, or improving grounds for said 
high school objects, or of purchasing, leasing, building, finishing, repairing, 
improving, or extending their said schoolhouses, or of procuring furniture, 
libraries, and apparatus, or of paying the indebtedness of said high-school 
district. Said board shall have full power and authority to levy taxes upon 
all the taxable real and personal property in said district, for the purpose of 
raising said amounts so determined by it. Said board shall designate the 
amount of money required for the maintenance and expenses of said high 
school and its departments for each school year, as aforesaid, "school tax"; 
and the amount required for any of the other purposes specified in this section, 
said board shall designate " schoolhouse tax." It shall be the duty of said 
board to ascertain, at any meeting prior to the second Monday of September, 
annually, the rate per cent upon the assessment of real and personal property 
in said high-school district for State and other purposes for that year, needed 
to be levied to raise the amount of " school tax " determined upon, and what 
rate per cent upon the same will be needed to raise the amount of " schoolhouse 
tax" determined upon; which rat eor rates shall be certified by the president 
and attested by the clerk of said board, and returned to the clerk of the county 
court of said Bureau County on or before the second Monday of September, 
annually. The certificate or certificates so made may be in the following form, 
as near as may be: "The board of education of the Princeton high-school 

district requires the rate of per cent on the dollar to be levied on the 

taxable property of said district, for the year , for the purpose of school 

tax (or schoolhouse tax, as the case may be). Dated this day Of , 

18— A. B., president. Attest : C. D., clerk." It shall be the duty of the clerk 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 11 

of said county court to extend the tax or taxes so certified to him in one 
column, under the name of "high-school tax," according to said rate or rates 
upon the book for that year of the collector of taxes for the territory em- 
braced in said high-school district; and the said taxes shall be collected as 
other taxes are or may be, and, when collected, shall be paid over, on demand, 
to the treasurer of said district. The said county clerk and collector shall 
receive for their services the same compensation as now is or may be provided 
for extending and collecting district school taxes. It is, however, provided 
that the rate to be levied in any one year for school tax shall not exceed 3 per 
cent on the assessed valuation of the taxable property of the said district, and 
that the rate to be levied in any one year for schoolhouse tax shall not exceed 
5 per cent on said valuation. 

Sec. 11. Said board of education shall hold regular meetings once in each 
month at such time and place as shall be designated by the rules of said board. 
Said board shall make, from time to time, all needful rules and regulations for 
its own government and that of all officers, teachers, and agents elected or 
appointed by said board, and for the custody, control, care, and management 
of the school's funds and property belonging at any time to said district. 

Sec. 12. Said board shall, annually, at its stated meeting in July, elect a presi- 
dent and a clerk, both of whom shall be members of said board, and who shall 
hold their offices for one year. Said board shall also, at said meeting, appoint 
a treasurer of said high-school district, who shall not be a member of said 
board, and who shall hold his office during the pleasure of said board. The 
president shall preside at all meetings and perform all other duties re- 
quired by the rules of said board. The clerk shall record the proceedings of 
all meetings, the result of all elections held under this act, and the rules and 
regulations of said board. The said record shall be signed by the president 
and attested by the clerk; and the same, or certified copies thereof, under 
the hand of said clerk and the seal of said board, shall be prima facie evidence 
of the proceedings of said board in all courts and places. Said board may 
adjourn from time to time, and the president, or any two members thereof, 
may call special meetings, at such times and in such manner as the rules of 
said board shall provide. Three members of said board shall constitute a 
quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of the president or 
clerk, the board may appoint a president or clerk pro tern. 

Sec. 13. Said board of education may make such rules concerning the duties of 
the treasurer and the disposition of the funds and other property in his custody 
as are not inconsistent with this act. 

Sec 14. The treasurer of said high-school district shall execute, within 10 days 
from his appointment, a bond, with two or more good and sufficient securities, 
to be approved by said board, which bond shall be filed and recorded by the 
clerk, shall be made payable to said board in a penalty to be fixed by said 
board, and conditioned that he will safely keep, and, from time to time pay 
over, upon the order of said board, all moneys and effects which shall come 
into his hands or under his control as such treasurer, and will deliver over 
to his successor in office all books, papers, securities, property, and moneys 
remaining in his hands, and belonging to said district, and will faithfully dis- 
charge the duties of his office according to law and the rules made by said 
board from time to time. It shall be the duty of said treasurer to receive and 
keep all moneys due and payable to said district. He shall keep an accurate 
account of all moneys received and paid out by him, in a record to be kept for 
that purpose, and shall pay out no moneys or other effects excepting on the order 



12 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

of said board. He shall retain vouchers for all moneys so paid out, and shall 
receive upon all moneys paid out on such orders a fee, to be fixed by said board, 
not exceeding 2 per cent. He shall settle his accounts with said board at the 
August meeting in each year, and shall produce his books and papers to said 
board whenever required so to do. All orders on said treasurer shall state 
for what purpose issued, shall be signed by the president, and registered and 
attested by the clerk of said board. 

Sec. 15. No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of said board, or to 
vote at any election provided for in this act, or to act as judge or clerk of such 
election, unless he shall be a resident of said district and have the qualifications 
of an elector at township elections. 

Sec. 16. The said board of education is hereby made the successors in office 
of the directors of the high-school district organized in the said township of 
Princeton, and known by the name of " The High School District of Princeton," 
which said last-named district is hereby merged in the high-school district created 
by this act. All high-school buildings, property, and real estate belonging to said 
high-school district of Princeton are hereby conveyed to and vested in said board 
of education and its successors in office, in fee simple, for the purposes contem- 
plated by this act. It is hereby made the duty of the trustees of schools of said 
township to execute and deliver to said board of education all conveyances requi- 
site to perfect, in said board of education, the title to all real estate now held in 
trust by said trustees for the said high-school district of Princeton. 

Sec. 17. The said board of education shall have power, and it is hereby 
directed, to ratify, assume, and carry out all contracts made and entered into by 
said directors, on behalf of said district for building and other school objects, 
and, for the purpose of executing such contracts, shall levy taxes and issue bonds 
as provided in this act. 

Sec. 18. Nothing in this act shall be construed as affecting the present organi- 
zation of the common-school districts in said township, or the control and con- 
duct of the same under the general laws of this State. 

Sec. 19. This act shall be deemed a public act, and shall be in force from and 
after its passage. 

Approved, February 5, 1867. 

The first graduating class (1870) of the school organized under 
this special charter had a membership of 15. During the 49 years 
ending June, 1916, there have passed out of the school 1,065 gradu- 
ates. 

As already noted, the Princeton charter was, in substance, enacted 
into a general statute in 1872, when a general revision of the school 
laws of Illinois was made. An amendment enacted in 1879 provided 
a means of discontinuing high- school districts of this type by vote 
of the people. Other minor amendments were enacted in 1891, 1897, 
and 1901, respectively. 

A special commission in 1909 recodified the laws governing schools 
and their establishment. There is nothing to indicate, however, that 
much serious thought was, at that time, given to the township high- 
school law. As a result of this codification and the previous amend- 
ments, the law now reads as follows : 






HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 13 

Township High Schools. 

85. 1 Upon petition of 50 or more legal voters of any school township, filed 
with the treasurer at least 15 days preceding the regular election of trustees, 
it shall be the duty of the treasurer to give notice of an election to be held at 
the next regular election of trustees for the purpose of voting " for " or 
" against " the proposition to establish a township high school. Notices of such 
election shall be posted in at least 10 of the most public places throughout the 
township for at least 10 days before the day of such regular election and may 
be in the following form: 

Notice of Election. 

Notice is hereby given that on Saturday, the day of April, 1 , an 

election will be held at for the purpose of voting " for " or " against " 

the proposition to establish a township high school for the benefit of township 

number , range number . The polls will be opened at o'clock 

— in., and closed at o'clock — m. 

A B , 

Toionship Treasurer. 

The ballots of such election shall be canvassed as in other elections, and 
may have thereon the name of the person or persons whom the voter desires 
for trustee or trustees of schools. 

86. If a majority of the votes cast shall be in favor of establishing a town- 
ship high school, it shall be the duty of the trustees of schools to call a special 
election on any Saturday within 60 days, for the purpose of electing a town- 
ship high-school board of education, to consist of five members, notice of which 
election shall be given for the same time and in the same manner as provided 
in the election of trustees of schools. The members elected shall determine by 
lot, at their first meeting, the length of term each is to serve. Two of the 
members shall serve for one year, two for two years, and one for three years 
from the second Saturday of April next preceding their election. At the ex- 
piration of the term of office of any member or members, a successor or suc- 
cessors shall be elected, each of whom shall serve for three years, which sub- 
sequent election shall be held on the same day and in the same manner as the 
election of trustees of schools. In case of a vacancy, the board shall call an 
election without delay, to be held on any Saturday. Within 10 days after this 
election the members of the township high-school board of education shall meet 
and organize by electing one of their number president, and by electing a 
secretary. It shall be the duty of such high-school board of education to estab- 
lish, at some central point most convenient to a majority of the pupils of the 
township, a high school for the education of the more advanced pupils. 

87. Two or more adjoining townships, or two or more adjoining districts, 
whether in the same or different townships, may, upon petition of at least 50 
legal voters in each of the townships or school districts, or if a school district 
contains fewer than 150 voters, then by at least one-third of the legal voters 
of such district, and upon an affirmative vote in each of such townships or 
districts, at an election held pursuant to the provisions of section 85 of this 
act, establish and maintain in the manner provided for township high schools, 
a high school for the benefit of the inhabitants of the territory described in 
such petition. 

1 The numbers are section numbers of the General School Law. 



14 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

88. The inhabitants of any territory composed of parts of adjoining town- 
ships, who are now maintaining a high school and who have elected a board 
of education, may create such territory into a high-school district by a petition 
signed by 50 legal voters of such district and an affirmative vote in such dis- 
trict, and may elect a board of education therefor, as in other high-school dis- 
tricts. When part of a township has been included in a high-school district 
pursuant to any of the provisions of this act, the remainder of such township 
not included in any high-school district, shall constitute a township for high- 
school purposes. 

89. Any school district having a population of 2,000 inhabitants or more may, 
in the manner herein provided for establishing and maintaining a township 
high school, establish and maintain a high school for the benefit of the in- 
habitants of such school district, and elect a board of education therefor with 
the same powers conferred on township high-school boards of education. The 
territory of such district when so organized for high-school purposes shall con- 
stitute a high-school district for high-school purposes distinct and separate 
from the common-school district having the same boundaries, and the high- 
school board of education of such high-school district shall have the same 
power to levy taxes and establish and maintain high schools as township high- 
school boards of education organized under this act possess, and such taxes 
shall be in addition to the taxes authorized to be levied by section 189 of this 
act. All school districts which have heretofore organized under this section, 
elected a high-school board of education, and are maintaining a high school, 
shall be regarded as high-school districts distinct and separate from the common- 
school district having the same boundaries, shall have the same power of 
taxation as township high-school boards of education organized under this act. 
A township or part of a township in which there is no township high school 
may be annexed to an adjacent high-school district organized under this sec- 
tion in the same manner as near as may be as is provided in sections 94, 95, 
and 96 of this act for the annexation of territory to a township in which a 
high school has been established. 

90. When any city in this State having a population of not less than 1,000 
and not exceeding 100,000 inhabitants lies within two or more townships that 
township in which a majority of the inhabitants of the city reside shall, with 
the city, Constitute under this act a school township for high-school purposes. 

91. For the purpose of building schoolhouses, supporting the school, and pay- 
ing other necessary expenses the territory for the benefit of which a high 
school is established under any of the provisions of this act shall be regarded 
as a school district, and the board of education thereof shall in all respects have 
the power and discharge the duties of school directors for such district. 

92. When any district desires to discontinue the high school, the treasurer, 
upon petition of a majority of the legal voters of the district, filed at least 

15 days preceding the regular election of trustees of schools with the treasurer 
of such district, shall give notice of an election to be held on the day of the 
regular election of trustees for the purpose of voting " for " or " against " the 
proposition to discontinue the township high school, which notice shall be given 
in the same manner and for the same length of time, and in substantially the 
same form, as the notice provided for in section 85 of this act. The ballots for 
such election shall be canvassed in the manner provided for in section 85 of 
this act. If a majority of the votes cast at such election shall be in favor of dis- 
continuing the high school, the trustees of schools shall surrender the assets of 
the high school to the district fund of the township or townships interested in 
proportion of the assessed valuation of the townships or parts of townships com- 
prising such district. 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 15 

93. When any township in any county under township organization shall 
contain two political towns divided by a navigable stream, as recognized by the 
United States, each of which shall contain a city of not less than 1,000 nor more 
than 100,000 inhabitants, each town shall constitute a township under this act 
for high-school purposes. 

94. A township or part of a township in which there is no township high 
school may be annexed, in the manner hereinafter provided, to an adjacent 
township in which a township high school has been established. Upon petition 
of 5 per cent of the legal voters of the territory to be annexed, and of the town- 
ship to which annexation is desired, filed with the treasurers of the respective 
townships at least 15 days preceding the regular election of trustees of schools, 
the respective treasurers shall give notice to the voters concerned that an elec- 
tion for or against annexing the township or part of a township, as the case 
may be, will be held at the next regular election of trustees of schools in each 
township by posting notices of such election in at least 10 of the most public 
places in the territory to be annexed, and in the adjacent township, at least 10 
days before the date of such regular election. Such notice may be in the fol- 
lowing form, to wit: 

High-School Annexation. 

Notice is hereby given that on Saturday, the day of April, 19 — , an 

election will be held at for the purpose of voting " for " or " against " 

the proposition to annex for township high-school purposes the following terri- 
tory, to wit (here insert the number and range of the township when the whole 
township is to be annexed, or when part of said township is to be annexed insert 
the said part of said township), to township No. , range No. (town- 
ship having an established high school). 

The polls will be opened at o'clock m. and closed at o'clock 

m. 

A B , 

Treasurer. 

When less than the whole of a township is to be annexed only the voters in 
the territory to be annexed shall have the right to vote, and the trustees of 
schools shall provide a voting place for that territory and the judges and clerks 
of such election. 

95. If petitions request the township treasurers, respectively, to submit said 
question at a special election, it shall be the duty of the township treasurers to 
call the respective elections, as provided in -the foregoing sections, for some 
day and hour not exceeding 30 days from the date of the filing of the petition ; 
and to give at least 10 days' notice of the election, in which event the polls 
of the election shall be open in at least two polling places and for at least four 
consecutive hours, and the polling places in the respective townships shall be 
designated and fixed by the treasurers respectively. If a majority of the votes 
cast in the township having an established high school, and a majority of the 
votes cast in the territory to be annexed shall be in favor of the proposition, 
the township or territory, as the case may be, shall be and become so annexed, 
and the property in such township or territory shall thereafter be subject to 
taxation for the support and maintenance of the township high school, includ- 
ing the payment of any bonded indebtedness of such township high school, 
and interest thereon, thereafter falling due, as fully and to the same extent 
as is provided by law for the levying of taxes upon property for the support 
and maintenance of township high schools. The taxes collected from such 
township or territory annexed for the support and maintenance of a township 



16 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

high school shall be paid by the officer collecting the same to the township 
treasurer of the township having the established high school. 

96. Such election shall be held in the manner provided by law for the holding 
of elections for township trustees of schools, and the ballots of such election 
shall be canvassed, and the returns thereof made as in other school elections. 
If a majority of the votes cast shall be in favor of the proposition, it shall be 
the duty of the township treasurer of the township which is annexed, or part 
thereof, as the case may be, to file a certificate with the county clerk of the 
county in which such township is located, or if such township is situated in 
more than one county, with the respective clerks of such counties, certifying 
to the territory so annexed and giving a description thereof. 

The provisions of this law were not, however, of a character to 
lead readily to the establishment of a very large number of high- 
school districts. The school township does not necessarily lie evenly, 
as to distances, about a controlling district or center, nor do its 
physical features always make feasible the organization, for school 
purposes, of so large a unit. 

As was to have been expected, therefore, the movement proceeded 
very slowly for the first 40 years, or, more accurately, up to and in- 
cluding 1910. Taken by decades, the number of schools organized 
was as follows: 

1872-1882 ., 3 

1882-1892 5 

1892-1902 14 

1902-1911 (9 years) 35 

Total 57 

From 1911 to September 30, 1916, inclusive, there have been organ- 
ized a total of 190 schools, not counting those which failed on ac- 
count of technical errors in election. 

This rapid increase was made possible by the enactment of the 
1911 law, which provided for the organization of contiguous and 
compact territory, Regardless of township or county lines, into new 
administrative units for high-school purposes. Thus it appears that 
what was really needed was a more rational law under which to or- 
ganize a larger community naturally centering about a controlling 
district in the shape of a village, town, or city. 

The 1911 law reads as follows : 

An Act to Authorize the Organization of High-School Districts. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented 
in the General Assembly, That any school township that contains a school 
district having a population of 1,000 or more and not exceeding 100,000 in- 
habitants, whether operating under the general school law or governed by 
virtue of a special act, may be organized into a high-school district by sub- 
mitting the proposition to a vote of the people at a general or special election. 

2. Upon receipt of a petition signed by 50 or more legal voters the county 
superintendent of schools of the county in which the township or the greater 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 4. 



xr*i~ r '- ■■>:■ 




A. EAST LYNN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917. NO. 35 PLATE 5. 





iiiiinWy'lJf If iHk 




- 






■____ 




1 -_.i-.-J— J- ••-• {"»""!" l" 1 i mtam 


.« 


b i 


L LiJL J ~^ 




i 



_ Lt.. rt " 


i 


nn j 

... ... 







A. NEW GYMNASIUM BUILDING, DEERFIELD (HIGHLAND PARK) TOWN- 
SHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. PRINCETON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, BUREAU COUNTY. 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 17 

part of the territory described in the petition is situated, shall forthwith 
order an election to be held for the purpose of voting " for " or " against " the 
proposition to establish a township high school, by posting notices for at least 
10 days in 10 of the most public places throughout the township or territory, 
which notices may be substantially as follows: 

Notice of Election. 

Notice is hereby given that on the day of , 1 , an election 

will be held at for the purpose of voting " for "• or " against " the propo- 
sition to establish a township high school for the benefit of the inhabitants of 

township (or territory) . The polls will be opened at o'clock m., 

and closed at o'clock m. 

A B , 

County Superintendent. 

In townships divided equally by county lines, the elections shall be in 
charge of the superintendent of schools of the county in which the sixteenth 
section is situated. 

3. The elections required by this act shall be conducted by the trustees of 
schools, boards of education, or boards of directors designated by the county 
superintendent of schools, to whom all returns shall be made within five days. 
The ballot shall be in substantially the following form, to wit : 



For the establishment of a township high school. 



Against the establishment of a township high school. 



The voter shall make an X or cross mark in the square following and oppo- 
site the proposition favored, and the ballot shall be so counted. 

4. If a majority of the votes cast shall be in favor of establishing a township 
high school, the county superintendent of schools shall forthwith order an elec- 
tion to be held within 30 days, for the purpose of selecting a township high- 
school board of education to consist of a president and six members, by posting 
notices for at least 10 days in 10 of the most public places throughout the 
township or territory, which notices may be substantially as follows : 

Notice of Election. 

Notice is hereby given that on the day of an election will be 

held at for the purpose of electing a township high-school board of educa- 
tion, to consist of a president and six members. The polls will be opened 

at o'clock m., and closed at o'clock m. 

A B , 

County Superintendent. 

Two of the members shall be elected for one year, two for two years, and 
two for three years, and each year thereafter two members shall be elected 
to serve for three years. The president shall be elected annually. All subse- 
quent elections shall be held on the second Saturday of April, annually. 

5. For the purpose of supporting a high school, the township or territory 
for the benefit of which a high school is established under the provisions of tyus 

745°— 17— Bull. 35 3 



18 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

act shall be regarded as a school district, and the board of education thereof 
shall, in all respects, have the powers and discharge the duties of boards of 
education elected under the general school law. 

6. The inhabitants of any contiguous and compact territory, whether 
in the same or different townships, upon a petition signed by at least 50 
legal voters and an affirmative vote in such territory, may establish, in 
the manner provided by this act, a township high school for the benefit 
of the inhabitants of the territory described in the petition. 

7. A school district or any part thereof adjoining a high-school district 
organized pursuant to this act may be annexed to such high-school district 
and become a part thereof by a concurrent resolution adopted by the boards in 
each district. Before the resolution shall take effect, however, the proposition 
shall be submitted, under the provisions of this act, to a vote of the people 
of the territory desiring annexation, and a majority of the votes cast shall be 
required in order to adopt such resolution. 

Approved, June 6, 1911. 1 

By an act approved June 26, 1915, section 8 was added, to read as 

follows : 

Sec. 8. When any entire high-school district desires to discontinue the town- 
ship high school the county superintendent, upon the receipt of a petition signed 
by a majority of the legal voters of the said district shall forthwith order an 
election to be held in the manner provided by this act for the purpose of voting 
" for " or " against " the proposition to discontinue the township high school. 
If two-thirds of the ballots cast at the election shall be in favor of discontinuing 
the township high school, the county superintendent shall direct the high-school 
board of education to discharge all outstanding obligations and to distribute the 
remainder of the assets of the high-school district to the underlying districts 
and parts of districts in proportion to the assessed valuation of all the property 
of such districts and parts of districts : Provided, That an election to discontinue 
the township high school shall not be called within the period of two years 
from the establishment of such township high school, nor within a period of two 
years following any such election called to discontinue the township high school. 
When a township high school shall be discontinued by an order of any court of 
competent jurisdiction the assets of the high-school district shall be distributed 
in the manner provided by this section. 

This law is seen to differ from the original township law in that 
the administration of steps in organiaztion is put into the hands 
of the county superintendent of schools. It is no longer a township 
law, correctly speaking, but a union district or community high- 
school law. 

The act evidently provides for two different types of districts. 
The first has for its nucleus a township containing an organized 
district in a city under the definition of Illinois law. The second, 
under section 6, permits the organization of any "contiguous and 
compact territory " into a district for high-school purposes. 

1 By a decision of the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois rendered at its October, 
1916, session the law of 1911 as given above was declared unconstitutional. This 
decision affected nearly 200 organized districts. In an addendum by the court it was 
stated that these districts, where organized and in operation, might presumably be 
considered as de facto districts. 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 19 

THE NEW HIGH-SCHOOL, LAW OF 1917. 

Fortunately the State legislature has this year passed a new 
law for community high schools as an amendment to the general 
school law which is, in many ways, superior to the law of 1911. This 
new law not only provides for the organization of high-school dis- 
tricts but also creates a district for the purpose of paying high-school 
tuition. This tuition-paying district includes all the non-high-school 
territory of a county. The law also provides for an ex officio county 
board whose function is to readjust high-school district boundaries. 

Following is the text of the new law : 

AN ACT To amend sections 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, and 96 of an act entitled "An 
act to establish and maintain a system of free schools," approved and in force June 
12, 1909, as subsequently amended, and to repeal conflicting statutes. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented 
in the general assembly: That sections 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, and 96 
of an act entitled " An act to establish and maintain a system of free schools," 
approved and in force June 12, 1909, as subsequently amended, be amended so 
that said sections shall read as follows : 

" Sec. 88. The inhabitants of any territory composed of parts of adjoining 
townships or of a congressional township and parts of one or more adjoining 
townships may create such territory into a high-school district by a petition 
signed by at least 50 legal voters and an affirmative vote in such territory, and 
may elect a board of education therefor, as in other high-school districts. When 
part of a township has been included in any high-school district pursuant to 
any of the provisions of this act, the remainder of such township, not included 
in any high-school district, shall constitute a township for high-school purposes. 

" When any city in this State having a population of not less than 1,000 and 
not exceeding 100,000 inhabitants lies within two or more townships, that town- 
ship in which a majority of the inhabiants of the city reside shall, with the 
city, constitute under this act a school township for high-school purposes. 

" When any township in any county under township organization shall con- 
tain two political towns divided by an unbridged navigable stream as recog- 
nized by the United States, each of which shall contain a city of not less than 
1,000 nor more than 100,000 inhabitants, each town shall constitute a township 
under this act for high-school purposes. 

" Sec. 89. Upon the receipt of a petition signed by 50 or more legal voters 
residing in any compact and contiguous territory described in said petition, 
whether in the same or different townships, the county superintendent of 
schools of the county in which the territory or the greater part thereof 
described in the petition is situated shall order an election to be held for 
the purpose of voting ' for ' or ' against ' the proposition to establish a com- 
munity high school, by posting notices for at least 10 days in 10 of the most 
public places throughout the territory described in the petition, which notices 
may- be substantially in the following form: 

" NOTICE OF ELECTION. 

" Notice is hereby given that on the day of , 19 — , an 

election will be held at for the purpose of voting for or against the 

proposition to establish a community high school for the benefit of the inhabit- 



20 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

ants of the following described territory: . The polls to be opened at 

o'clock — m. and closed at o'clock — m. 

"A — B , 

" County Superintendent. 

" Said community high-school district shall be formed, as far as practicable, 
about a community center, and have sufficient territory, assessed valuation, 
and prospective high-school pupils to form a satisfactory and efficient high 
school, and it shall be the duty of the county superintendent of schools before 
calling the election to consider the form, size, and assessed valuation of the 
proposed high-school district and the number of prospective high-school pupils 
in the same, and if in his judgment the proposed district does not meet the 
requirements heretofore specified in this section he may refer the petition 
back to the petitioners with recommendations as to changes before he calls the 
election, or he may deny the prayer of the petition: Provided, however, That 
in forming these high-school districts, existing school districts shall not be 
divided by high-school district boundaries, except where, in the judgment of 
the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the larger part of 
the proposed high-school district lies, it is necessary in order to make a com- 
pact and satisfactory high-school district. 

" If a majority of the votes cast at said election shall be in favor of establish- 
ing a community high school, the county superintendent shall forthwith order 
an election to be held within 30 days for the purpose of electing a community 
high-school board of education to consist of five members. The members elected 
shall determine by lot at the first meeting the length of term each is to serve. 
Two of the members shall serve for one year, two for two years, and one for 
three years, from the third Saturday of April next preceding their election. 
At the expiration of the term of office of any member or members the successor 
or successors shall be elected, each of whom shall serve for three years, which 
subsequent election shall be held on the third Saturday in April. The manner 
of holding elections shall be governed by sections 126 and 126a of the general 
school law. In case of a vacancy the remaining members shall fill said vacancy 
by appointment until the next regular election. Within 10 days after their 
election the members of the community high-school board of education shall 
meet and organize by electing one of their number president and by electing a 
secretary. It shall be the duty of such board of education to establish at some 
central point most convenient to a majority of the pupils of the district a com- 
munity high school providing for four years of high-school work : Provided how- 
ever, That if a majority of the votes cast at said election shall be against the es- 
tablishment of a community high school there shall not be another election 
held for a like purpose for a period of one year. The expense of all elections 
called by the county superintendent of schools under the provisions of this act 
shall be paid by the county. 

" Sec. 90. An ex officio board composed of the county superintendent of 
schools, the county judge, and county clerk may in its discretion change the 
boundaries of any township or community high-school districts so as — 

" First. To detach territory from one high-school district and add the same 
to another high-school district when petitioned by two-thirds of the legal voters 
residing within the territory described in the petition asking that said territory 
be detached from one high-school district and added to an adjacent high-school 
district, or when petitioned by a majority of the legal voters of each high- 
school district. 

" Second. To create a community high-school district from territory belong- 
ing to one or more high-school districts when petitioned by two-thirds of the 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 21 

legal voters residing within the territory described in the petition asking that 
such territory be created into a new community high-school district. 

"Third. To detach territory from a high-school district and add the same 
to a nonhigh-school district when petitioned by two-thirds of the legal voters 
residing within such territory. 

" Fourth. To annex territory not within a high-school district to a high-school 
district upon petition of two-thirds of the legal voters residing within such 
territory. 

" Fifth. To create a community high-school district from territory belonging 
to one or more high-school districts, together with territory from a nonhigh- 
school district when petitioned by a majority of the legal voters residing within 
each of respective districts and nonhigh-school territory above described. 

" If the districts involved in the change of boundaries lie in two or more 
counties the change may be made by the concurrent action of the ex officio 
boards of said counties. 

" In all cases involving the change of boundary of high-school districts an 
appeal may be taken to the superintendent of public instruction, and the super- 
intendent of public instruction, on appeal, shall have authority to order a 
change in boundaries of all abnormal high-school districts with a view of mak- 
ing each high-school district consist of compact and contiguous territory com- 
paratively easy of access to all the pupils of the district and to the end that 
justice shall be done. 

" The ex officio board vested with power to change the boundaries of any 
township or community high-school district shall, after the filing of any peti- 
tion as provided above, give thirty days' public notice, by posting in at least five 
public places in each district whose boundaries are to be affected, of a public 
hearing upon such petition, and at such hearing the ex officio board shall hear 
objections, if any, against such proposed change. 

" Within ten days after a high-school district has been established under the 
provisions of this act or after any change is made in the boundaries of any 
district or districts the county superintendent of schools shall make and file 
with the county clerk a map of the high-school district or districts established 
or involved in any change of boundaries. 

" Within thirty days of the election of the board of education of a high- 
school district as contemplated by this act, the county superintendent of schools 
shall file in the office of the county clerk a transcript certified to by him show- 
ing all the steps taken and proceedings had in the organization of said high- 
school district. 

" If any high-school district organized under any of the provisions of this 
act, or organized under any statute in force at the time of its organization, or 
legalized by any statute, shall for one year fail to maintain a recognized high 
school it shall be the duty of the ex officio board of the county in which the 
larger part of the district lies to dissolve said high-school district and attach 
the territory of the district to other high-school districts, or to nonhigh-school 
districts, or in part to both. All funds or property of such district shall be 
distributed by the county superintendent of schools as provided in section 92 
of this act. 

" The necessary traveling expenses of the ex officio board shall be paid by the 
county. 

" Sec. 91. For the purpose of building schoolhouses, conducting and support- 
ing the high school and paying all necessary expenses, the territory for the 
benefit of which a high school is established under any of the provisions of this 
act, and all high-school districts organized under any statute in force at the 
time of their organization, and all high-school districts legalized by statute, 



22 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

shall be regarded as school districts, and the board of education of each of 
said high school districts shall in all respects have the powers and discharge 
the duties of boards of education elected under the general school law: Pro- 
vided, however, That in all elections held under the provisions of this act the 
board of education shall have the power to establish a suitable number of vot- 
ing precincts for the accommodation of voters of the district in which said 
election is held, and shall fix the boundaries of said precincts, and designate 
one polling place in each, which precincts shall be composed of contiguous 
territory in as compact form as may be for the convenience of the electors 
voting therein. Said board shall appoint two judges and one clerk for each 
polling place, assigning so far as practicable at least one member of such 
board to each polling place. Notice of all such elections shall be in the form 
now prescribed by law and be posted by the said board of education in at least 
10 of the most public places in each of said voting precincts at least 10 days 
previous to the day of election. 

" Sec. 92. When the inhabitants of any township or community high-school 
district desire to have said district discontinued, the county superintendent of 
schools of the county in which said district or the larger portion thereof is 
situated, upon receipt of a petition signed by 50 legal voters of said district, 
shall forthwith order an election to be held in the manner provided in section 
89 of this act for the purpose of voting for or against the proposition of dis- 
continuing the high school named in said petition. If two-third of the ballots 
cast at said election shall be in favor of discontinuing the high school, the 
county superintendent of schools shall direct the high-school board of education 
to discharge all outstanding obligations, to distribute the remainder of the 
assets of the high-school district to the underlying school districts and parts 
of districts in proportion to the assessed valuation of all the property of 
such school districts and parts of districts: Provided, That the election called 
to vote upon the proposition of discontinuing a high school shall not be called 
within the period of two years from the establishment of such high-school 
district, nor within a period of two years following any such election called 
to vote upon the proposition of discontinuing such high school. When a high 
school shall be discontinued by order of any court of competent jurisdiction, the 
assets of said high-school districts shall be distributed in the manner provided 
by this section. 

" Sec. 93. In each county of the State, all the territory of the county not 
included in a township high-school district, or a community high-school district, 
or a district maintaining a recognized four-year high school, shall be organized 
into a nonhigh-school district for the purpose of levying a tax to pay the 
tuition of all eighth grade graduates residing in such nonhigh-school district, 
including pupils attending a recognized two or three year high school conducted 
by a local school district. The board of education for said nonhigh-school 
district shall be constituted as follows: The county superintendent of schools 
shall be an ex officio member of said board and secretary thereof, but he shall 
have no vote. The remaining members of the nonhigh-school district board 
shall be elected as 'follows : On or before August 1, 1917, the county superin- 
tendent of schools shall call an election for the purpose of electing three mem- 
bers of the board of education of said nonhigh-school district, and shall desig- 
nate a sufficient number of precincts and polling places and select the judges 
and clerks for such election. At the first meeting of said board the length of 
the term of each of the said three elected members shall be determined by lot. 
One of said members shall serve for one year, one for two years, one for three 
years from the third Saturday of April next preceding their election. At the 
expiration of the term of office of any elected member or members a successor 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 23 

or successors shall be elected, who shall serve for three years. Each subse- 
quent election shall be held on the third Saturday in April. In case of 
vacancy in the said board of education the remaining members shall fill the 
vacancy by appointment until the next annual election. Within 10 days after 
the election the members of said board of education shall meet and organize 
by electing one of their number president. The nomination of candidates for 
members of the board of education for the nonhigh-school district shall be 
made only by petition. All nominating petitions shall be filed with the county 
superintendent of schools at least 15 days before the date of election. All 
petitions shall be signed by at least 50 legal voters of the district. The names 
of the candidates shall be printed on the ballot in the order in which the 
petitions are filed with the county superintendent of schools. The first election 
for members of the board of education for the nonhigh-school district shall be 
held at the polling places of the district comprising the nonhigh-school terri- 
tory and the judges and clerks of the district election boards shall receive and 
canvass the ballots and seal and mail them to the county superintendent of 
schools. The county superintendent of schools shall file the results of said 
election with the county clerk. The ballots to be used at the election held for 
the selection of members of the board of education of the nonhigh-school dis- 
trict shall be furnished by the county and shall be in the form prescribed by 
the county superintendent of schools. Voters shall make a cross mark in the 
square preceding the name or the names of the candidates of his choice and the 
ballots shall be so counted. At all subsequent elections in the nonhigh-school 
districts the vote shall be canvassed by the nonhigh-school board and the 
results filed with the county clerk. The polling place for subsequent elections 
in the nonhigh-school district shall be designated by the board of education 
of the nonhigh-school district. The manner of holding elections shall be gov- 
erned by sections 126 and 126a of the general school law, except where other- 
wise specifically directed herein. 

" None of the provisions of this act regarding the establishment of nonhigh- 
school districts shall be construed to prevent the organization of any territory 
of such nonhigh-school districts, into township or community high school, school 
districts. 

" Sec. 94. The board of education of a nonhigh-school district shall have the 
following powers and it shall be its duty: 

" First. To levy a tax annually upon all the taxable property of such nonhigh- 
school district not to exceed 1 per cent upon the valuation to be ascertained 
"by the last assessment for State and county purposes, for the purpose of paying 
the tuition of all eighth-grade graduates residing within such nonhigh-school 
district attending any two, three, or four year recognized high school. Such 
tax levy shall be certified and returned to the county clerk on or before the 
first Tuesday in October. The certificate shall be signed by the president and 
secretary of the board and may be in the following form to wit : 

" CERTIFICATE OF TAX LEVY. 

" We hereby certify that we require the sum of $ to be levied as a 

special tax to pay the tuition of graduates of the eighth grade residing in the 

nonhigh-school district of county, on the equalized assessed valuation of 

the taxable property of our nonhigh-school district. 

" Signed this day of , 19—. 

" A B , 



" C D- 



" President. 
" Secretary. 



24 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

"A failure to certify and return the certificate of tax levy to the county 
clerk in the time required shall not vitiate the assessment. 

" Second. To issue orders on the county treasurer on or before the first Tues- 
day of May of each year for the payment of the tuition of eighth-grade gradu- 
ates residing within such nonhigh-school district attending a recognized high 
school, provided such attendance shall be certified to said board by the board 
of education of the high school attended. Such orders shall be payable out of 
any funds belonging to said nonhigh-school district. 

" Third. To make such reports as may be required by the State superintendent 
of public instruction and by the county superintendent of schools. 

"Fourth. To pay election expenses and other necessary incidental expenses 
out of the funds of the nonhigh-school district. 

" Sec. 95. The county treasurer shall be the treasurer of the nonhigh-school 
district of the county. He shall receive and hold all moneys belonging to said 
district and shall pay out the same upon lawful orders issued by the board of 
education of said nonhigh-school district. He shall report to the secretary of 
the board of education of the nonhigh-school district on or before the 30th day 
of June annually the receipts and expenditures of funds belonging to said 
district and the balance on hand. He shall make annually a complete report 
to the county superintendent of schools, including therein whatever statistics 
may be required by the county superintendent and shall perform such other 
duties in connection with the nonhigh-school district as are performed by the 
township treasurers for school districts as required by the general school law. 

" Sec. 96. Upon the approval of the county superintendent of schools any 
high-school pupil may attend a recognized high school more convenient in some 
district other than the high-school district in which he resides and the board 
of education of the high-school district in which said pupil resides shall pay the 
tuition of such pupil : Provided, Said tuition shall not exceed the per capita cost 
of maintaining the high school attended. 

" Any eighth-grade graduate residing in a nonhigh-school district may attend 
any recognized two, three, or four year high school, and his tuition shall be 
paid by the board of education of the nonhigh-school district in which he resides. 

" An eighth-grade graduate in the meaning of this act is any person of school 
age who gives satisfactory evidence of having completed the first eight grades of 
school work by presenting a certificate of promotion issued by the home school 
board, or by passing an examination given by the county superintendent of 
schools or by passing an examination given by the school attended. 

" A recognized high school in the meaning of this act is any public high school 
providing a course of two or more years of work approved by the superintendent 
of public instruction. 

" The tuition paid shall in no case exceed the per capita cost of maintaining 
the high school attended, excluding therefrom interest paid on bonded indebted- 
ness, which shall be computed by dividing the total cost of conducting and 
maintaining the said high school by the average number of pupils enrolled, 
including tuition pupils." 

Sec. 2. An act entitled "An act to provide high-school privileges for gradu- 
ates of the eighth grade," approved June 26, 1913, in force July 1, 1913, and all 
other acts and parts of acts in conflict with the provisions of amending act are 
hereby repealed. 

Approved June 26, 1917. 

Thus there has developed in the State of Illinois a unique group 
of strong high schools, several of which, like the Princeton, Joliet, 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 6. 




A. SCENE FROM JUNIOR PLAY, LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. CLASS IN CEMENT AND CONCRETE, LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH 

SCHOOL. 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 7. 




A. POLISH BOY SCOUTS, LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. GIRLS' DOLL CLASS, LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 



25 



La Salle-Peru, Oak Park, Evanston^ New Trier, Dekalb, and others, 
have attained a nation-wide reputation. In the southern portion 



MAP 

ILLINOIS 



TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOLS 
IN ILLIN OI5 UP TO AND 
INCLUDING 1906- 




of the State, where, under the general school law, high schools of any 
consequence were practically impossible, the township and com- 



26 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

munity high school laws have brought about the organization of a 
group of fine schools. Among these the following are to be found 
on the accredited list of the North Central Association of Colleges 
and Secondary Schools: Belleville, Bridgeport, Centralia, Collins- 
ville, Duquoin, Flora, Harrisburg, Lawrenceville, Marshall, Mount 
Vernon, Murphysboro, and Robinson. 

In the central part of the State which is very rich as an agricul- 
tural district the movement has been more conservative. Yet here, 
too, the past three or four years have witnessed very rapid develop- 
ments. It has remained for this section to emphasize the idea of 
organizing entire counties, practically, into high-school districts. 
The counties which have made the most notable progress in this 
respect are: Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Ford, Iroquois, Macon, 
Macoupin, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon, Vermilion. Other counties 
a little to the north of central Illinois which have been largely or- 
ganized are: Henry, Kankakee, La Salle, Livingston, Woodford. 
Cook County, in the northeastern part, is the most notable case out- 
side of the central region. The accompanying maps and the table 
of distribution by counties will more fully illustrate this point. A 
few maps of counties most completely organized are also presented. 

LIST OF TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS OF ILLINOIS 

BY COUNTIES. 1 

COUNTIES. 

Adams — Mendon. 

Alexander — Thebes. 

Boone — Capron. 

Bureau — Buda, Bureau, Manlius, Neponset, Ohio, Princeton, Spring Valley, 

Tiskilwa. 
Carroll — Savanna. 

Champaign — Dewey, Homer, Ivesdale, Longview, Ludlow, Rantoul, Sidney. 
Christian — Assumption, Pana, Taylorville. 
Clark — Casey, Marshall, Westfield. 
Clay — Flora. 

Coles — Ashmore, Fair Grange, Mattoon, Oakland, Rardin. 
Cook — Arlington Heights, Blue Island, Calumet, Chicago Heights, Cicero, 

Des Plaines, Evanston, Harvey, Kenilworth, La Grange, Lemont, Maywood, 

Mount Prospect, Oak Park, Palatine, Riverside. 
Crawford — Hutsonville, Oblong, Palestine, Robinson. 
Cumberland — Neoga. 
Dekalb — Dekalb, Rollo, Sandwich. 
Dewitt — Farmer City, Kenney, Waynesville, Weldon. 
Douglas — Areola, Murdock, Newman, Tuscola, Villa Grove. 
Dupage — Glenn Ellyn, Hinsdale. 
Edgar — Chrisman, Dudley, Hume, Metcalf. 
Edwards — Bone Gap. 
Effingham — Shumway, Teutopolis. 

1 In each case the name given is that of the post office. The list is as of Sept. 30, 1916. 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 27 

Ford— Cabery, Gibson City, Kempton, Paxton, Roberts, Sibley. 

Franklin — Benton. 

Fulton — Avon. 

Gallatin — Equality. 

Grundy — Coal City, Gardiner, Mazon. 

Hancock — Nauvoo. 

Henderson — Biggsville, Oquawka, Stronghurst, Terre Haute. 

Henry — Annawan, Geneseo, Wethersfield, Woodhull. 

Iroquois — Chebanse, Donovan, Martinton, Milford, Onarga, Stockland, Well- 
ington. 

Jackson — Murphysboro. 

Jasper — St. Marie, Willow Hill. 

Jefferson — Mount Vernon. 

Jersey— Jersey ville. 

Johnson — Vienna. 

Kankakee — Aroma Park, Buckingham, Essex, Reddick. 

Knox — Abingdon, Altona, Gilson, Oneida, Wataga, Williamsfield, Yates City. 

Lake — Antioch, Highland Park, Libertyville, Wauconda, Waukegan. 

La Salle — Dana, La Salle-Peru, Mendota, Ottawa, Rutland, Seneca, Streator, 
Tonica. 

Lawrence — Bridgeport, Lawrenceville. 

Lee — Amboy, Lee, Steward. 

Livingston — Chatsworth, Cullom, Dwight, Fairbury, Forrest, Pontiac, Saunemin. 

Logan — Mount Pulaski. 

Macon — Argenta, Long Creek, Maroa, Mount Zion, Oreana, Warrensburg. 

Macoupin — Benld, Dorchester, Girard, Medora, Virden. 

Madison — Collinsville. t 

Marion — Centralia. 

Marshall — Henry, La Rose, Sparland, Toluca, Varna. 

Mason — Kilbourne. 

McDonough — Industry. 

McLean — Bellflower, Carlock. 

Montgomery — Nokomis. 

Morgan — Waverley. 

Moultrie — Allenville, Arthur, Bethany, Dalton City, Gays, Lovington, Sullivan. 

Ogle — Rochelle. 

Peoria — Chillicothe, Elmwood, Trivoli. 

Perry — Du Quoin. 

Piatt — Atwood, Bement, Cisco, Deland, La Place, Monticello. 

Pulaski — Mounds. 

Putnam — Hennepin, Hopkins, John Swaney, McNabb, Magnolia. 

Randolph — Sparta. 

Richland — Olney. 

Rock Island — East Moline. 

Saline — Eldorado, Harrisburg. 

Sangamon — Auburn, Divernon, New Berlin, Pawnee, Pleasant Plains, Williams- 
ville. 

Stark — La Fayette, Toulon. 

St. Crair — Belleville, Marissa. 

Tazewell — Armington, Mackinaw, Morton. 

Vermilion — Allerton, Alvin, Armstrong, Bismarck, Catlin, East Lynn, Ellis, 
Georgetown, Humrick, Muncie, Newell, Potomac, Rankin, Ridge Farm, 
Sidell, Westville. 



28 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Warren — Roseville. 
Washington — Ashley. 
White — Carmi. 
Whiteside — Sterling. 
Will — Braidwood, Joliet, Lockport. 
Williamson — Herrin, Marion. 

Woodford — El Paso, Eureka, Low Point, Metamora, Roanoke, Spring Bay, 
Washburn. 

There are still 27 counties in which no township or community 
high-school districts have been organized. This means that 72 per 
cent of all the counties of the State have one or more such schools. 
The largest number in any county is 16 each in Vermilion and Cook 
counties. The total number organized up to September 30, 1916, 
according to reports from county superintendents, is 242. Some of 
these are probably disqualified under the recent decision of the 
supreme court previously referred to. Most of the districts dis- 
qualified under the court decision were validated by special legis- 
lative enactment under date of June 14, 1917. 

The strength which has been added to the high-school work of the 
State as a result of the organization of these schools must be 
readily apparent to those familiar with high-school work. Following 
is a list of the most important results attained by this method of 
high-school organization : 

1. The union of town and country in maintaining a truly demo- 
cratic high school with equal opportunities, according to talent or 
inclination, for the children of all classes. 

2. It thus offers the best possible method of providing free high- 
school privileges, as it involves the participation of all classes in 
management as well as in maintenance. 

3. It provides sufficient resources, without excessive cost to the 
individual, for maintaining a well-equipped and broadly organized 
school. 

4. It greatly increases facilities in the State for the preparation 
of a sufficient number of reasonably well qualified teachers for the 
rural schools. 

5. By laying a foundation for fuller cooperation in maintaining 
schools it prepares the way for complete consolidation of rural 
schools, and establishes a logical basis for their more complete 
supervision. ) 

6. It furnishes a strong community center for carrying forward 
those broader educational interests lying outside of the regular 
school program for the education of the children only. 

The two letters which follow are expressive of what this more 
complete organization of high-school service in counties can do for 



HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. 



29 




Township and community high schools in Illinois up to September 30, 1916. 



TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 



the rural schools of the State. (See also maps of these two counties 
elsewhere in this bulletin.) 




HUMWCK TOW/1SH1P 
H.J. 



Veemilion County 



A county showing 16 high-school districts representing four-sevenths of the entire 
county. There are also three good city high schools. Danville, Hoopeston, and Rossville 
not included in this territory. (The organized territory on this and the three maps fol- 
lowing is shown by the hatched surface.) 

Danville, III., October 7, 1916. 
Dear Sir: In reply to your question concerning the advantages accruing 
to the elementary schools by reason of a larger number of high-school organi- 
zations, my answer is as follows: 

(1) Greater interest of the pupils of the rural schools in their work. Because 
the pupils have an accredited high school close at hand, they are interested 
in graduating from the eighth grade in order that they may enter the high 



MATERIAL ADVANTAGES. 31 

school. Retarded pupils in the rural schools are becoming the exception now, 
whereas before the coming of the high school they were the rule. 

(2) Because the schools are convenient to all the children, those wishing 
to teach are completing the high-school course before entering the teachers' 
examinations. This is raising the standard of preparation of the rural 
teachers. 

(3) The high schools through their short courses are reaching the rural 
communities in every section of the county. This is bringing about improved 
rural conditions. More attention is being given to rural sanitation. Interest 
is being created in soil conservation. The high school and the rural school are 
working together to make the farm the ideal place to live. 

Very respectfully, 

Otis P. Haworth, 
County Superintendent of Schools, 

Vermillion County, III. 

Eureka III., October 9, 1916. 
Dear Mr. Hollister. Replying to your letter of October 5, I am pleased to 
report that there is a gradual but constant increase in the number of qualified 
teachers. I think this is partly due to the increased efficiency of the high 
schools of this county, and partly to the higher ideals these high schools have 
aided in developing. 

The raising of the standard of high-school work has also served to raise the 
standard of work in the elementary schools. Teachers know that unless the 
work is well done in the grades their pupils will not do well in high school, and 
it supplies an additional incentive for faithful labor. 
Yours, truly, 

Roy L. Moore, 
County Superintendent of Schools, 

Woodford County, III. 

II. MATERIAL ADVANTAGES. 

A more detailed consideration of advantages will also reveal some 
interesting facts. Take, for instance, the problem of a suitable ma- 
terial equipment for the organization and operation of a modern 
composite high school. The larger community in cooperation can 
easily do what would be utterly impossible if the burden of original 
development and upkeep is left to the cities and towns alone. 

As a first illustration, the numerous villages representing the sub- 
urban district of Chicago will serve. In the districts tributary to 
the following list of high schools (all of them great schools) are 
included in each case several villages, towns, or small cities. Taken 
alone it was impossible for these more or less isolated communities 
to maintain high schools of their own. They could not compete 
with the strong pull of the city. But under township organization 
the case is different. 



32 



TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 



Name. 



E vanston Township. 

La Grange (Lyons Township) 

Highland Park (Deerfield Township). 
Cicero (J. Sterling Morton Township). 

Kenilworth (New Trier Township) 

Harvey (Thornton Township) , 

Oak Park and River Forest Township 

Des Plaines (Maine Township) 

Maywood (Proviso Township) 



Number 

of 
teachers. 


Enroll- 


ment. 


30 


926 


27 


468 


23 


405 


40 


558 


37 


703 


26 


410 


58 


1,242 


15 


202 


26 


512 



Cost of 
building. 



$500,000 
100,000 
419,391 
140,000 
400,000 
250,000 
534,975 
90,000 
190,000 




piatt County 



Seven-tenths of the territory of Piatt County is organized. Five of the seven districts 
indicated are only partially included in this county. 

Take, again, a group of towns under separate corporate or district 
organization but united for high-school purpose under the town- 
ship law: 



Name. 



La Salle-Peru-Oglesby 

Sterling 

Taylorville 



Number 

of 
teachers. 



19 
14 
14 



Enroll- 

ment. 



367 
288 
357 



Cost of 
plant. 



$200,000 
50,000 
75,000 



mil, iiiui'-. .!.-.,- _ -., . ■ 



00 



O 
< 

UJ 
CO 




BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 9. 




A. INFANT WELFARE STATION, LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. POLISH TURNERS, LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, JMO. 35 PLATE 10. 




A. HARRISBURG TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 




B. ENTRANCE, HARRISBURG TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. 



o 

Z 

o\ 

2 

f- 
lii 



Z 

o 

I- 
< 

O 
ID 
Q 
LU 



3 
< 

UJ 

a 

■CO 




(/) 

z 
o 

H 
<3 

n 

CD 

in 

cr 
cr 
< 

I 

z" 

LU 
I 

o 
h 



MATERIAL ADVANTAGES. 



33 



The following is a group of centers in the coal mining districts 
where the population is large in proportion to property holdings: 



Name. 



Assumption . 

Benton 

Centralia 

Collinsville . . 

Duquoin 

Eldorado 

Georgetown.. 
Harrisburg . . . 

Herrin 

Marion 

Murphysboro. 

Pana 

Spring Valley 
Streator 



Number 

of 
teachers. 


Enroll- 


ment. 


6 


152 


9 


176 


15 


373 


10 


250 


8 


186 


8 


166 


8 


136 


14 


364 


10 


226 


11 


300 


10 


230 


11 


287 


17 


275 


16 


389 



Cost of 
building. 



S30, 000 
41,800 
48,000 
45,000 
30, 000 
30, 000 
44,000 
60,000 
56, 000 
75,000 

270,000 
60,000 

150, 300 

100,000 



Under agricultural centers two groups may be considered — centers 
that in themselves are fair sized cities, and centers relatively small 
and weak: 



Name. 



First group. 

Chrisman 6 116 $42,000 

Fairbury 9 134 67,000 

Farmer City 5 137 37, 000 

Flora 9 189 50,000 

Geneseo 11 198 55,000 

GibsonCity 10 202 70,000 

Marshall 10 189 30,000 

Olney 10 251 70,000 

Ottawa 17 421 250, 000 

Pontiac 15 311 75.000 

Princeton 16 360 100,000 

Sparta 12 244 65,000 

Second group. 

Armington.. 3 56 7,000 

Bellflower 5 81 12,000 

Biggsville 3 50 16,000 

Divernon 5 72 25,000 

Lovington 8 100 20, 000 

Milford 6 87 33,000 

Morton 4 42 24,000 

MountPulaski 5 93 45,000 

Neoga 6 104 25,000 

Palestine 8 157 50,000 

Pawnee .'. 6 108 40,000 

RidgeFarm 4 65 35,000 

Sidell 5 99 22,000 

Tiskilwa 4 91 25,000 



Cost of 
building. 



A number of these high schools have been organized with larger 
cities as centers. Most notable among these, with their populations 
are the following : 



Joilet 35, 000 

Evanston 25, 000 

Belleville 21, 000 

Oak Park 19,000 

Waukegan 16, 000 



Chicago Heights 15,000 

Streator 14, 000 

La Salle 12,000 

Centralia 10,000 

Ottawa 10, 000 



34 



TOWNSHIP AKD COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 



Joilet has a building which cost $225,000, employs 77 teachers, and 
enrolls 1,252 pupils. The district is soon to extend greatly its build- 
ings. The equipment of this school is better than that of many col- 
leges. The Joilet High School was the first in Illinois to offer a 
regular two-year junior-college course. 

Belleville, which is a recent organization, has just completed a 
building at a cost of $200,000 with 14.75 acres of ground. It enrolls 
314 pupils and employs 7 teachers. The buildings are on the group 
plan, and are very complete as adapted to the needs of the modern 
composite high school. A much larger teaching corps will be em- 
ployed hereafter. 

Waukegan has a building costing $121,000 with 4 acres of ground. 
This school employs 19 teachers and enrolls 440 pupils. 



C L AY T O N 



M I /V O N K 




Wood roe d 
County 



m o n rq O M E J3Y 



A" A MS AS 



Wfe 



LOCK 






Mc LEANCO 

This is a second-county showing also about four-sevenths of its territory organized 
into high-school districts. In both Woodford and Vermillion Counties comparatively 
small districts have been organized. 

The other schools named in this last list are also included in lists 
already mentioned with cost of building, number of teachers em- 
ployed, and number of pupils enrolled. 

Following is an interesting summary of the material equipment of 
the new Sparta Township High School which was first occupied in 
September, 1916: 

A 10-acre plot of ground. 

A 20-acre State experiment station across the street. 

A vaccmim cleaner system. 

An electric-clock system. 

Indirect lighting system. 



MATERIAL ADVANTAGES. 



35 



Six sanitary di inking fountains in the corridors. 
" Terrazo " corridors. 
Oak trimmed. 
Vault in office. 

Reception room off the office. 

Two rooms each for manual training, domestic science, agriculture, and three 
rooms for commercial work. 

Gymnasium 50 by 80 (gallery seating 300). 

Will have a lantern for science work. 

A large solarium off agriculture room. 

A special room for physics laboratory, and one for chemistry laboratory. 

A special lecture room for physics and chemistry. 

Hardwood (birch) floors. 

Auditorium 50 by 80, with stage. 

Teachers' rest room and toilet. 




Douglas County, Illinois 

This county illustrates two weak points in the law of 1911. First is the character 
of the unorganized territory (the plain white portion). This shows the need of some 
direction in the arranging of districts, as does the second point illustrated — that is, the 
lack of any limitation as to the amount of territory that might he voted into a district. 
This latter fact and the abuse of power resulting from it led to much litigation which 
doubtless had much to do with the adverse decision of the supreme court previously 
referred to. Such cases occurred in several counties of the State. 



Athletic field, tennis courts, agricultural plots. 

Cold air taken from windows and passes over steam pipes. 

One boys' toilet and two toilets for girls. 

Shower baths (hot and cold water). 

Own gas plant for laboratories. 

Boiler room in an offset, fireproof. 

It appears from the above study that this type of high-school 
organization readily adapts itself to almost any situation which 
may arise, and makes possible in each case a much more com- 
plete organization and equipment than would otherwise be possible. 
An examination of the teacher rolls with special reference to prepara- 



36 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

tion and salaries will show that these schools rank among the very 
first schools of the State and are, on the average, superior to those 
of towns of corresponding size where the school is maintained by the 
elementary district alone. 

Studies made of the scholarship of their output as indicated by 
freshman work at the University of Illinois also place them among 
the schools of highest rank in the State. 1 

III. MATEEIAL ILLUSTBATIVE OF SOME EDUCATIONAL 
ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

1. In order to have a program of studies providing for all phases 
of high-school work it is necessary to have quite a wide range of 
election, either of subjects or curricula, or of both. Such a con- 
dition means always an increase in the teaching force over what 
would be necessary in case of a simple program of 16 units (year 
courses) of high-school work. 

In a large percentage of these township and community high 
schools such a broad program of studies is made possible. Even in 
an agricultural district there will be found strong departments of 
commercial work and manual training as well as of agriculture and 
domestic science. Even where these schools are not yet strong 
enough to include all such lines of work there is continuous growth 
toward such a condition. Moreover, these smaller schools invari- 
ably mean a good four-year high school where such a thing was 
previously impossible. 

2. It is a common practice for many of these schools to conduct 
short courses during the winter months for work in agriculture and 
domestic science. Below are listed some of the evidences of this 
work and of what is included in such short courses. 

EXTEACT FROM A LETTER WRITTEN BY PRINCIPAL F. J. MABREY, GENESEO TOWN- 
SHIP High School. 

Our school takes quite an interest in community work. It is a town of 3,200. 
Perhaps one point of special interest would be an evening school, in which we 
offer bookkeeping, shorthand, spelling, typewriting, and arithmetic. This work 
is given three nights of the week, from January until the 1st of March. We 
also have a class earlier in the season in window-card writing, also men's 
and women's gymnasium classes. 

Another feature of our community work is the agriculture short course for 
farmer boys. I am inclosing a bulletin giving to an extent the scope of this 
work. One or two special features mentioned in this bulletin may be of interest 
to you. One is that we plan the work so that one special phase of agriculture 
is studied each year. This year we have the subject of " animal husbandry." 
The greater part of arithmetic problems were those dealing with feeding, 

1 See High School Visitor's Report, University of Illinois, 1914-15, p. 44. 



ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 37 

measurements of grain, dairying, etc. Another phase that we may emphasize 
is the study of current farm periodicals. We were able to secure about 30 of 
the leading papers of the country. These were made the basis of a great deal 
of our English and agricultural work. This is the third year that this course 
has been offered by this school and it is open only to the boys who .are not able 
to take the regular work in high school. 

Letter from W. L. Hagan, Neoga Township High School, March 15, 1916. 

Let me tell you about our agriculture short course held here March 6-10. We 
had a good school last year but this year the attendance and interest were far 
better than last. We averaged more than 50 farmers at each session. In the 
domestic science department there were more than 100 women in each session. 
As one of the outcomes the farmers have organized and will meet every month. 
At each of these meetings they expect to have discussed some phase of agri- 
culture that will be of immediate interest. Saturday, March 19, Mr. Ebersol 
of the College of Agriculture of the University of Illinois will speak on the 
subject of " Oats." In April we will have a man on " Corn." 

Mr. Holben was in charge of the subject " Farm crops " during the " Short 
course." The first day in his corn judging work I noticed that only two men 
picked the best mother ear of corn. This judging was a feature ot his work 
every day of the week. The last day 30 men picked the best mother ear. As a 
result of his work I am sure the farmers will select their seed corn better and 
test it for germination. 

We run the Babcock milk test for the people of this community here in the 
high school ; test the soils for acid or alkali ; and, also, test purity of the lime- 
stone which they buy. 

On Wednesday night of March 8 we had a community meeting. The pro- 
gram was as follows : 

Lecture — " Community efficiency," by Carl Colvin, Eastern Illinois Normal 
School. 

Play — " Proposal under difficulties," by teachers of the high school. 

Informal reception in the gymnasium. 

During the last hour we had informal singing, orchestral music, and served 
ice cream and punch. There were no charges. More than 500 attended this 
session. One of the heavy taxpayers, who had never been reconciled to our 
school before, was heard to say, " I am repaid for all my taxes by this school." 
Men drove in to this school 7 and 8 miles. Many of them did not miss a session. 

And yet only a few years ago Neoga had a struggling little village 
high school of about 40 pupils with two teachers trying to carry four 
years of high-school work. There are many schools in the State with 
a similar record. 

Facts about the Hutsonville Township Short Course as Given by Principal 

Harry M. Thrasher. 

The farmers' short course in agriculture. — This is perhaps our biggest effort 
in community interest. It is conducted for a week each winter under the 
direction of the extension department of the State University. This winter 
saw the second of these courses and we are beginning to see a growing interest 
in it. This is a farming community and we try to present the facts for the 
best farming methods in this part of Illinois. The program is diversified, 



38 



TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 



emphasizing mainly the phases of agriculture that apply particularly to Hut- 
sonville. In other words, we seek to find each particular farmer's problem and 
to solve it through the medium of our extension course lectures. Each year 
some soil testing is done and in time we hope to test the soil of every farm 
In the district. The Farmers' Club here cooperates with us in all of this — even 
assuming part of the financial burden. While the course has been supported 
In the past by popular subscription, the high school will make this a part 
of the regular agriculture course, commencing with next year. Prior to the 
course we advertise extensively in the local press, by posters, and send about 
500 programs through the mail. The attendance each year has been about 1,500 
Cor the week. 

The domestic science school. — In connection with the farmers' short course 
we have been operating a domestic science school for the women of the com- 
munity. The extension school lecturers have found no lack of interest here 
and next year the attendance is expected to be even better than it has been 
heretofore. The work last year was in foods — this year in sanitation. We 
have a large domestic science club here that has been organized for a number 

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE 

FARMERS' SHORT COURSE, JANUARY 3-7 



DAYS 



Monday 
3 



Tuesday 
4 



Wednesday 
5 



Thursday 



Friday 

7 



10-11 



Registration and 
Introductory talks 



Dairy Feeding 
W.W Yapp 



Horticnltnre 
W A Ruth 



Horticulnre 
W A. Roth 



Horticulture 
W. A. Ruth 



11-12 



Farm Crops 
O. A Hughe? 



Farm Crops 
C. A. Hoghes 



Farm Crops 
C. A Huenep 



Farm Crop6 
O A. Hughes 



Farm Crops- 
O A. Huen^K 



1 :30-2 :30 



Soil 
O. C. Logan 



Soil 
O C. Logan 



Soil 
C. C. Logan 



Soil 
C. C Lognn 



Soil 
C. C. Lneran 



2 :30-3 :30 



Dairying 
W.W. Yapp 



Hog Judging 
J. B. Rice 



Pork Production 
J. B. Rice 



Draft Horses 
Claude Harper 



Beef Production 
W. H. Smi*h 



7:30 



Service of Science 
in Daily Life 
A. W. Nolan 



Boys' and Girls' 
Clubs 

J. H. Greene 



Community Inter- 
ests 
R. E. HieronymuB 



Bring your wife to attend the Domestic Science School at the Baptist church and hear Miss 
Brooks on "Health and Home Problems." Domestic Science lectures begin each afternoon, 
at 1 :30. KEEP THIS CARD FOR YOUR PROGRAM. BRING YOUR AUTO. 

HUTSOIMVILLE TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL 



of years. This club has done much to make the domestic science school a 
success. 

Evening lectures: Outside lectures. — The activities of the agricultural depart- 
ment are not confined to the short course alone. Our agricultural instructor 
has been making stereopticon lectures at the high school and in different 
district schools. In this way we keep in touch with the district schools and 
create an interest in our own school. These lectures come at various intervals 
during the year. We had one recently on chickens and expect to give one in 
a few days on sanitation, showing the harm done by the house fly, open privies, 
manure piles, etc. 

Soil trip to experiment plots. — Near the close of the year we will make a 
trip to the Oblong experiment fields conducted by the extension department 
of the State University. This trip will be advertised widely and we hope to 
have 35 or 50 automobiles in line, carrying the agricultural class of this 
school as well as many of the interested farmers of the vicinity. If possible, 
we will get all the agriculture classes in the county to make this trip. Prof. 
C. C. Logan, the extension school soil expert, will be there and will explain 
what is being done in the way of experiments. 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 13. 




A. 



MOUNT PULASKI TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, AGRICULTURE, SHORT 

COURSE. 




B. MOUNT PULASKI TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, AGRICULTURE, REGULAR 

WORK. 



ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 39 

The boys' corn contest. — Last fall closed tlie first boys' corn contest con- 
ducted by our school. Each boy grew an acre of corn. The prizes were 
awarded on the basis of the largest production at least cost. The prizes were 
as follows : First, $25 ; second, free trip to Purdue short course in agriculture ; 
third, corn cultivator ; fourth, corn cultivator ; fifth, books. If this contest is 
made an annual affair, it will probably be made a part of the national boys' 
corn contest. 

Bulletins. — One bulletin has already been issued this year and another is in 
course of preparation. The first contained information and data regarding the 
boys' corn contest. The second will be a resume of the short course, a review 
of the lectures and an emphasizing of the most important truths covered. 
About 500 of these bulletins are mailed to patrons of the school. 

Records of registration of district schools. — The principal sends out blanks 
once a year to each district school in the high-school district. These blanks 
call for the data necessary for blanks sent to the principal by the State uni- 
versity or State superintendent of schools. The ages and grades of all the 
scholars are needed especially, as catalogues and other high-school publications 
are sent to the seventh and eighth grade pupils to stimulate their interest 
in high school. When possible, the principal visits these schools. 

Lyceum course. — The high school has managed a lyceum course for two 
years and tries to secure attractions that appeal in both an educational and 
esthetic way. We sell our season tickets at low figures and have never had a 
deficit. The programs are all held in the assembly room. 

One of the most recently organized short courses is that of the 
Rutland Township High School, a district which was organized last 
spring. The first annual program announced for 1916-17 is given 
below : 

PROGRAM. 

FIRST WEEK, DECEMBER 4-8, DAIRY CATTLE. 

Class discussion : 1. Breeds. 2. Characteristics. 3. Judging. 

Lectures: 1. Supt. W. R. Foster, 2. J. H. Cairns — Subjects: "Agriculture in 
the public schools." Time, Wednesday, December 6, 7.30 p. m. 3. I. A. Mad- 
den — Subject : "The profitable management of a Holstein-Friesian dairy herd." 
Time, Friday, December 8, 2 p. m. 

SECOND WEEK, DECEMBER 11-15, DAIRY CATTLE. 

Class discussion : 1. Feeding for milk production. 2. Testing milk for butter 
fat. 

Lectures : 1. J. D. Jarvis — Subject : " The cream separator." Time, Thurs- 
day, December 14, 2 p. m. 2. Andrew Fredericks — Subject : " The dairy herd." 
Time, Friday, December 15, 2 p. m. 

THIRD WEEK, DECEMBER 18-22, BEEF CATTLE. 

Class discussion : 1. Breeds. 2. Characteristics. 3. Judging. 4. Feeding for 
beef production. 

Lectures : 1. Charles Crone — Subject : " Importance of cattle on the farm." 
Time, Thursday, December 21, 2 p. m. 2. Frank L. Beach — Subject : Aberdeen- 
Angus cattle." Time, Friday, December 22, 2 p. m. 



40 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

FOURTH WEEK, JANUARY 2-5, HORSES. 

Class discussion: 1. Light breeds. 2. Draft breeds. 3. Judging. 

Lectures : 1. F. H. Jackson — Subject : " The production of pure-bred Per- 
cherons." Time, Thursday, January 4, 2 p. m. 2. F. S. Prichard — Subject: 
" The value of pure-bred stock." Time, Friday, January 5, 2 p. m. 

* FIFTH WEEK, JANUARY 8-12, HOGS. 

Class discussion : 1. Breeds and types. 2. Judging. 3. Feeding. 

Lectures : 1. R. R. Wells — Subject : " The production of hogs for market." 
Time, Thursday, January 11, 2 p. m. 2. I. S. Brooks — Subject : " Hogs and soil 
fertility." Time, Friday, January 12, 2 p. m. 

SIXTH WEEK, JANUARY 15-19, POULTRY. 

Class discussion : 1. Varieties. 2. Feeding for meat. 3. Feeding for eggs. 
Lecture : Paul Hoierman — Subject : " Feeding poultry for profit." Time, 
Friday, January 19, 2 p. m. 

SEVENTH WEEK, JANUARY 22-2 6, FARM CROPS. 

Class discussion: Corn — (a) varieties, (b) insect and plant enemies, (c) 
seed. 2. Relation to soil physics. 

Lectures : 1. James R. Holbert — Subject : " The breeding of seed corn." 
Time, Thursday, January 25, 2 p. m. 2. W. S. Scott — Subject : " Relation of 
farm crops to soil physics." Time, Friday, January 26, 2 p. m. 

EIGHTH WEEK, JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 2, FARM CROPS. 

Class discussion : 1. Small grains. Insect and plant enemies. 2. Legumes — 
(a) inoculation of soil, (fr)relation to fertility. 

Lectures : 1. E. S. Ebersol — Subject : " Relation to soil fertility." Time, 
Friday, February 2, 2 p. m., illustrated by charts. 2. 7.30 p. m., illustrated by 
lantern slides. 

NINTH WEEK, FEBRUARY 5-9, VEGETABLE GARDENING, ORCHARDING. 

Class discussion: 1. Vegetables for the farm garden. 2. Hothouses and cold 
frames. 3. Insect enemies of fruits and vegetables. 4. Pruning, grafting, and 
spraying. 

Lectures : 1. Charles Drummet — Subject : " Demonstration of care of orch- 
ard." Time, Thursday, February 8, 2 p. m. 2. A. W. Nolan — Subject : " Horti- 
culture." Time, Friday, February 9, 2 p. m. 

TENTH WEEK, FEBRUARY 12-16, CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION. 

Class discussion : 1. Mixing of concrete. 2. Use of concrete on the farm. 

Lectures : 1. Portland Cement Association — Subject : " The use of concrete on 
the farm." Illustrated with lantern slides. Time, Thursday, February 15, 
7.30 p. m. 2. M. E. Jahr — Subject : " Concrete construction." Time, Friday, 
February 16, 2 p. m. 



ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 41 

ELEVENTH WEEK, FEBRUARY 19-23, FAR^I MANAGEMENT. 

Class discussion: 1. Crops and stock. 2. Location of buildings and fields. 
3. Accounts. 

Lecture : Roy C. Bishop — Subject : " Soil fertility and farm management." 
Time, Friday, February 23, 2 p. m. 

TWELFTH WEEK, FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 2, FARM MECHANICS. 

Class discussion : 1. Types of machinery. 2. Care and use. 3. Conveniences 
of the farm. 

Lecture : E. A. White — Subject : " Modern machinery and farm conveniences." 
Time, Friday, March 2. 

Lecture : Dr. H. A. Hollister — Subject : " Community life." 

The above, selected from many illustrations, will give a good idea 
of the general character of the winter " short course " as it has de- 
veloped in these new Illinois high schools. There are numerous 
other interesting phases of this remarkable evolution that is going 
on among us. Note, for instance, this calendar of a recently organ- 
ized school: 

JERSEY TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL CALENDAR. 

Club meetings. 

The Forum, the literary club of the Jersey Township High School, will have 
its regular meetings in room 1, at 3.30 on the following dates : February 14, 
28 ; March 13, 27 ; April 10, 24 ; May 8, 22. 

The Latin Club and the German Club meet on Monday afternoon and alter- 
nate with the Forum society. The dates of their meetings are as follows : 
February 21 ; March 13, 27 ; April 3, 17 ; May 1, 15. Both clubs meet at 3.30 
in rooms 5 and 9, respectively. 

The Agricultural Club will meet on Tuesday afternoon, in room 5 at 3.30. 
The dates of its meetings are February 15, 29 ; March 14, 28 ; April 11, 25 ; 
May 9, 23. 

The Glee Club meets weekly on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Freshman and Sophomore girls' physical training class meets weekly 
on Tuesday ; the Junior and Senior girls' class, on Thursday. Classes meet in 
gymnasium at 3.45. 

Morning assembly. 

Every Friday morning from 8.45 to 9.15 in gymnasium. 

Social hours. 

Social hours will be held in the gymnasium from 2 to 3 on the following dates : 
March 3 and April 14. 

High school entertainments. 

" The passion play," under auspices of Agricultural Club in gymnasium, 
February 28. 

" The real thing "— H. S. play— Dodge theater, March 17-18. 
" My lord in livery," given by Forum Literary Club, April 21. 



42 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Basket ball games. 

J. T. H. S. v. Alton Y. M. C. A., gymnasium, March 3. 

J. T. H. S. v. Alton H. S., gymnasium, March 10. 

The proceeds of all school entertainments and basket ball games will be used 
in purchasing a high school library and in paying the rent on the gymnasium 
which is used for athletics and all assembly purposes. 

Parent-Teacher Association meetings. 

The Parent-Teacher Association will meet regularly at 7.30, in the grade 
building, on the second Friday night of each school month. The meetings fall 
on the following dates : March 10, April 14, and May 21. County Superintendent 
J. W. Becker, president. 

Weekly teachers' meetings. 

The grade teachers meet regularly at 4 Wednesday afternoon in the super- 
intendent's office at grade building. 

The high school teachers meet at 3.30 in room 8 on Friday. 

Commencement and dedicatory function. 

The school year will close with a week's program arranged and given by the 
boards of education, the J. T. H. S. and grades, the alumni, the Parent- 
Teachers Association, and other allied organizations. 

Here is another interesting announcement from the Dwight Town- 
ship High School, C. A. Brothers, principal: 

Our Township High School was only organized one year so all of our plans 
are somewhat undeveloped as yet, but we are trying to accomplish the follow- 
ing: 

Canning clubs : Purpose to get the children from the different parts of our 
territory (72 square miles) interested in gardening and the canning of pro- 
ductions. 

Corn clubs : We are organizing corn clubs in the different sections of the ter- 
ritory. We are working on a series of prizes to be given for the different 
phases of corn and this is going to be very popular with the people of the 
country districts. 

We have also started the organization of community clubs, as we call them, 
the purpose of which is to get the farmers to working together and also to 
arouse interest in our projects. 

The past winter we attempted to run a short course and had pretty good 
success. We hope to run a better agriculture short course next year and 
have an enrollemnt of farmers from our territoy. The course we gave the 
past winter placed special emphasis upon corn and oats. We hope to be able 
to have an exhibit next fall at the high school of vegetables and canned 
goods. 

And here is still another type : 

Cheisman, III., April 28, 1916. 
To the teachers and school directors of the community: 

The people of your school district are cordially invited to attend the Com- 
munity Day exercises which will be held ,at the Chrisman Township High 
School May 26, 1916. 



BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 



BULLETIN, 1917, NO. 35 PLATE 14. 




A. STOCKLAND TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, SEWING CLASS WORK. 




B. WOOD SHOPS, MANUAL TRAINING, HARRISBURG TOWNSHIP HIGH 

SCHOOL. 



ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 43 

Your school is requested to send an exhibit of its work, to be displayed on 
Community Day. This exhibit may consist of maps, drawings, compositions, 
notebooks, handwork, or any other material selected for that purpose. Exhibits 
may be delivered at the high school at any time, and will be cared for there and 
displayed to the best possible advantage. 

You are further requested to prepare a short selection for the literary pro- 
gram, which will be one of the features of the day. Teachers may select any 
material which they feel can be best presented by their pupils. Dialogues, 
songs, recitations, drills, etc., are suggested. Children of all grades are eligible 
to appear on this program. As early as possible you should send a statement 
of the nature of your entertainment, and the names of the children giving it, 
to Mrs. Kate Booker Stapp, vice president of Ross Township, or to Miss Mollie 
Lunger, vice president of Edgar Township. 

Diplomas of the eighth-grade graduates of all schools planning to hold their 
graduation exercises at Chrisman will be presented by County Supt. O. Rice 
Jones. 

Everyone is urged to bring dinner in baskets and eat it on the high-school 
campus. In case of rain, tables will be provided within the building. 

A children's playground where mothers may leave their little folks will be in 
charge of Miss Marie Runge, primary teacher of the Chrisman schools. 

The following is the program of the day : 8 to 9, inspection of building and 
exhibits. 9 to 12, athletic contests. 12 to 1, basket dinner. 1.30 to 3, miscel- 
laneous literary program by the various schools of the community. 3 to 4.30, 
graduation exercises. Address and presentation of diplomas by County Supt. 
O. Rice Jones. 4.30 to 5; inspection of building and exhibits. 5 to 6, May-pole 
program by the high-school students. 

The purpose of this event is to get the people of this community acquainted 
with each other and with their schools. To be a success it will need the enthu- 
siastic cooperation of every teacher, school director, pupil, patron, and citizen 
of the community. 

If your students hold their graduation exercises elsewhere, or you do not 
exnect to participate in the athletic or literary programs, come anyway, and 
help us enjoy the day. 

Suggestions for modifying or adding to the day's program will be welcomed 
and used if possible. I wish to urge everyone to be a booster for a successful 
Community Day. 

Yours, truly, 

P., M. Watson, 
Principal, Chrisman Township High School. 

A unique plan of organization is that of the Tiskilwa Township 
District, Bureau County. The character and purpose of this organi- 
zation appear in its constitution, which reads as follows : 

Constitution and By-Laws of the South Bureau County Farmers' Insti- 
tute Association. 

Whereas agriculture is the leading industry in this high-school district ; and 
Whereas there are serious questions in regard to the conservation of useful 
bird life, better roads, and many other questions of great importance to the 
farmer; and 

Whereas for the solution of these questions and the betterment of his condi- 
tion the farmer must cease living his isolated life and become organized as are 
all other branches of business at the present day : Therefore be it 



44 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Resolved, That at this institute held in the township high-school building 
in Tiskilwa on January 2 and 3, 1913, an institute association be formed for 
the purpose of holding future institutes and for the purpose of perfecting a per- 
manent organization among the farmers. 

AKTICLE 1. 

The name of this association shall be " The South Bureau County Farmers' 
Institute Association." 

AKTICLE 2. 

The object of this association shall be primarily the advancement of the 
agricultural interests in this part of the county and territory adjacent thereto. 

The welfare of our village, the prosperity of its business men, the local do- 
mestic science clubs, all legitimate means tending to promote sociability and 
social gathering among our citizens, the preservation of useful bird life, and all 
other practical ideas which shall make for the intellectual and moral uplift of 
our community shall be considered as one and inseparable from the direct in- 
terests of the farmers. 

ARTICLE 3. 

All persons interested may become members of this association by paying a 
membership fee of 50 cents and a like sum each year thereafter. 

AETICLE 4. 

The officers of this association shall consist of a president, two vice presi- 
dents, a secretary, a treasurer, and the presiding officers of the Domestic Science 
Association. These officers shall be elected annually by ballot, and they shall 
perform the duties which usually devolve on such officers, the treasurer pay- 
ing out money only on the order of the secretary and countersigned by the presi- 
dent. 

ARTICLE 5. 

The officers of this association shall constitute an executive committee, whose 
duty it shall be to solicit membership, collect and pay over to the treasurer all 
fees and dues, and to provide for the holding at least once each year at such 
time as they shall deem proper of a farmer's institute. The institute to be held 
by and with the consent of the board of education in the Township High School 
Building in Tiskilwa. 

ARTICLE 6. 

The annual institute shall be held for a period of not less than two days and 
each day shall consist of a forenoon and an afternoon session and at one of 
these sessions a business meeting shall be held, at which all officers shall be 
elected, and at least one full session shall be devoted to domestic science sub- 
jects and at this session a lady selected by the lady members of the association 
shall preside. 

The program for the domestic science session shall be provided by a com- 
mittee of five ladies appointed by the lady president of the domestic science ses- 
sion. For the purpose of electing officers and transacting other business at the 
business session a quorum shall consist of at least three of the officers and not 
less than twelve members of the association. 



PARTICULAR SCHOOLS. 45 

ARTICLE 7. 

Meetings may be called at any time by the executive committee, or a ma- 
jority of them. If vacancies occur among the officers they may be filled by the 
remaining member of the executive committee. 

IV. A MOEE DETAILED ACCOUNT OF PAETICULAE 

SCHOOLS. 

One of the most interesting special types is that of the La Salle- 
Peru-Oglesby community in La Salle County. This high-school 
district was organized in 1899. In 1914 there was put into operation 
the idea of the high school as a community center for all the people. 
Here the attempt is made to provide, for a township of about 28,000 
people, " healthful and rational recreation of all sorts " for people of 
all ages. 

The aim has been primarily to interest the children and young 
people of the township. This called for extensive cooperation of all 
the constructive forces of the larger community involved. The 
merchants and business men, the clergy of all denominations, the 
public-school people, the various clubs and other organizations, not 
to mention numerous individual volunteers, have aided generously 
in the project. 

The building necessary to the carrying out of such a plan was 
made possible through the generosity of a private citizen, Hon. F. W. 
Matthiessen, of La Salle, who, in October, 1912, offered to give cer- 
tain real estate and $75,000 for a recreation building on condition 
that the township board maintain the work and that the township 
vote a bond issue of $25,000 for needed improvements in the high 
school. This was promptly done and the new building and needed 
changes were put through as quickly as possible. The accompanying 
cut of a model of the high-school plant will show the arrangement of 
buildings. 

Among the recreations provided for are: 

A. Athletic, — (1) Various baseball teams, (2) basketball, (3) 
wrestling, (4) tennis, (5) Polish turners, (6) grade and parochial- 
school athletic league. In connection with these athletic interests 
parents' nights are held at the center. 

B. Noncothletic activities. — (1) Glee club, (2) the G. A. L. S. O. M. 
club, (3) dances, (4) alumni association, (5) young men's club. 

The center is also the home for lecture courses. It provides a ref- 
erence bureau for all questions on recreations. It plans to give 
" short courses " for farmers. It has a social workers' club. 

The attendance table given below is quoted from Prin. Thomas J. 
McCormack's pamphlet on the work of the center published in 1915. 
(For fuller account of the center see this publication.) 



46 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS, 

Attendance at the Center. 

The table of attendance by months, given below, is compiled in terms of indi- 
vidual units, and does not include events held in the auditorium nor the daily 
high-school classes using the classrooms in the recreation building. It is signifi- 
cant, however, since it shows the increased use to which the center is being put 
by the people of the township. 

March 22-31, 1914 611 

April 2,495 

May 3, 683 

June . 1, 827 ' 

July ' 5, 588 

August 5,356 

September 4,269 

October 5,032 

November 8,822 

December 7, 171 

January, 1915 7 9, 701 

February 12,318 

March 14,886 

April 10,300 

May 10,984 

June 9,991 

July - 10,053 

August 11,206 

September 8,700 

Another interesting feature of the work of this school is that of the 
Tri-City Hygienic Institute, the building for which is seen in the 
" model " cut previously shown. Through this organization is car- 
ried on medical inspection of school children, infant welfare work, 
and other activities conducive to the better health and comfort of the 
township community. 

In general it may be said that all the civic and social leagues and 
clubs find in the community center not only a rallying place, but also 
a cordinating center by means of which unnecessary duplications are 
avoided, and the effectiveness of all these activities greatly enhanced. 

All of this is highly suggestive of the possibilities, through such 
larger cooperation, in caring for the great fundamental needs and 
interests of a cosmopolitan American community. 

V. THE CONSOLIDATED DISTEICT HIGH SCHOOL. 

Under section 46 of the General Law of Illinois is to be found 
the following provision: "When such division of a township into 
districts has been made, the trustees of schools may, in their dis- 
cretion, at the regular meeting in April, change the boundaries of 
districts situated wholly within the township, so as — 

"First — To divide a district into two or more districts when 
petitioned by a majority of the legal voters of the district. 



DISTEICT HIGH SCHOOL. 



47 



" Second — To consolidate two or more districts into one district, 
when petitioned by a majority of the legal voters of each district." 

In case of districts lying in two or more townships a dissolution 
of the district may be secured " by petitioning the trustees of schools 
of the several townships, at their regular meeting in April, to add 
the territory belonging to the district in their township to one or more 
adjacent districts." (See sec. 48.) 

The cause of consolidation in Illinois has thus far been handi- 
capped by the lack of any provision in the law whereby school 
money might be used to pay for the transportation of children. By 
a law passed June 28 5 1917, this situation has been remedied. The 
law requires the board of directors of a consolidated district to 
provide free transportation for pupils residing at a distance from 
the consolidated school site. 

It is believed by the Illinois authorities that in many instances 
such a procedure will be found preferable to the formation of a 
larger high-school district as distinct from the elementary schools. 
Districts situated so as to make such a consolidation feasible may 
well consider this method of attaining the desired end of establish- 
ing a high school free to county and village or town alike, and strong 
enough to make a complete organization. 

The consolidation of rural schools has not thus far nourished in 
Illinois. Only four districts thus organized have developed four- 
year high schools. These are Harlem Consolidated, Hindsboro 
Union, John Swaney, and Eollo Consolidated. In case of one of 
these, at least, it has already been found desirable to organize a 
larger district for high-school purposes. 

It is true that the condition of Illinois roads is now a serious 
drawback to the organization of such consolidated districts. But it 
seems likely that such districts will never be able to sustain high 
schools which shall provide well-balanced curricula for the varying 
interests represented in secondary education. 

The following statistical presentation from the four schools named 
above for the year 1915 will serve to emphasize the correctness of the 
preceding statement: 



Schools. 


Popula- 
tion of 
district. 


School 
popula- 
tion. 


High- 
school 
enroll- 
ment. 


Number 
teachers. 


Valua- 
tion. 


Cost per 
capita 
of high 
school. 


Harlem Consolidated 


330 
700 
264 
260 


138 

178 

81 

132 


22 
57 
57 
51 


3 
3 
3 
4 


8552,804 
240,000 
321, 590 
587,256 


$113.64 


Hindsboro Union 


31.60 


John Swaney Consolidated 1 


61.40 


Hollo Consolidated 


88.25 


* 





1 Since made a township district. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 502 353 9 

48 TOWNSHIP AND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS 

In the case of Hindsboro the fact that the district contains a 
central village with a population of nearly 500 makes the difference. 
Even so, the enrollment can not increase sufficiently to warrant the 
employment of teachers for all departments of composite high-school 
work unless the village should become considerably larger. 

Harlem is a rich rural community near the city of Rockford. 
With its small population and three teachers it also will continue to 
work at a heavy disadvantage. 

The Rollo Consolidated has now five teachers and a second build- 
ing used for a gymnasium. This will add still further to the per 
capita cost as above given. Yet the school population of the district 
offers no relief from such advance in per capita cost. 

All of these schools maintain four-year accredited high schools, 
and are doing a great work in their respective communities. The 
John Swaney School, 3 miles out from the village of McNabb, in 
Putnam County, represents a very strong community sentiment for 
education. It has a beautiful site of some 26 acres and a two-and-a 
half -story building, well equipped, and with its own gas and water 
plants, so that there is gas for lighting and for laboratory work, and 
running water for laboratories and sanitary purposes. The school 
also has a cottage for the home of the teachers, and a barn where the 
horses used for transporting the children are kept during the day. 
A university experiment station adjoins the grounds. 

The Rollo Consolidated has also a good modern brick building, a 
fine home for teachers, and its recently added gymnasium. The 
grounds of this school are also ample, providing room for experiment 
plats in connection with the teaching of agriculture. 

o 



LIBRARY OF CONGRE 




021 502 353 



Hollinger Corp. 
P H 8.5 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




021 502 353 9 



Hollinger Corp. 
pH 8.5 



